This Christmas Crack recipe is so easy to make and only takes 30 minutes! This candy is called "Christmas crack," because it cracks in your mouth when you bite it! It's just a simple caramel poured over saltine crackers and topped with melted chocolate and sprinkles! Follow this recipe for the perfect caramel that's hard enough to crack but not so hard it breaks your teeth!
The first time I made Christmas crack I didn't use a candy thermometer. I just kind of eyeballed it. This resulted in a slightly runny caramel and not so much "crack". The next time I used my handy candy thermometer and it was a lot easier! So if you have one, you should def use it for this! Takes all the guesswork out of it.
What this Christmas cracker recipe actually reminds me of is a homemade TWIX candy. The saltine cracker turns into a wonderfully crisp, almost cookie layer. The caramel is firm but not so firm that it hurts to bite into. The chocolate and salty cracker really sends this candy into the next dimension and is TRULY hard to stop eating! This was the first Christmas candy I made with my family and now it's officially a tradition.
Quick Glance at the Recipe: Christmas Crack
- Recipe Name: Christmas Crack (Christmas Cracker Candy)
- Why You'll Love It: Salty, sweet, and crunchy, and it only takes a handful of pantry ingredients.
- Time and Difficulty: About 20 minutes of hands-on time plus at least 20 minutes to set. Easy.
- Main Ingredients: Saltine crackers, butter, dark brown sugar, and chocolate chips.
- Method: Cook a quick toffee, pour it over saltines, bake, then top with melted chocolate and sprinkles.
- Texture and Flavor: Crisp, salty crackers under a chewy, crunchy toffee layer and smooth chocolate.
- Quick Tip: No chocolate chips? Chop up a chocolate bar instead. It melts just as well.
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What Makes This Christmas Crack Recipe So Good
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This Christmas crack recipe turns a few pantry staples into a salty, sweet holiday candy that's truly hard to stop eating.
- Ready in about 30 minutes. A quick stovetop toffee and a few minutes in the oven is all it takes.
- Toffee with the perfect crack. It's firm enough to snap but not so hard it hurts to bite into.
- Tastes like a homemade Twix. The saltines bake into a crisp, almost cookie-like layer under the toffee and chocolate.
- Uses pantry ingredients. Saltines, butter, brown sugar, and chocolate chips may already be in your kitchen.
- Perfect for gifting. One pan makes a big batch that's easy to wrap up for friends, coworkers, and cookie exchanges.
Christmas Crack Ingredients
With only five ingredients (including sprinkles) this recipe is hard to mess up! The true hero is using a candy thermometer to cook your caramel so you get the perfect crack! If you don't have a candy thermometer then make sure you boil the caramel for a full 5 minutes.
- Saltine crackers: Make sure they're salted. The salty cracker is what makes this candy so addictive.
- Dark brown sugar: Packed dark brown sugar is the base of the toffee.
- Unsalted butter: Melts with the brown sugar to make the toffee.
- Salt: Just a little to round out the toffee.
- Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate: Melts right on top of the hot toffee. Experiment with flavored chocolates to make your Christmas crack recipe your own!
- Sprinkles or other toppings: Holiday sprinkles, chopped nuts, toasted coconut flakes, pretzels, or even candy all work.
You'll also need a half sheet pan, a silicone mat, a medium saucepan, a candy thermometer, and an offset spatula.
How to Make Christmas Crack Step-By-Step
Preheat your oven to 400º F (204º C) and line your pan with a silicone mat, tinfoil, or parchment paper coated with pan spray or cake goop. I used cake goop around the edges of my pan and silicone mat so the candy lifts right out.
- Line the bottom of your pan with crackers in an even layer. I had to trim my last row to make it all fit.
- Melt the brown sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted.
PRO TIP: Use a silicone or wooden spoon to stir your sugar. It helps keep the sugar from crystallizing.
- Cook the toffee to 280º F (138º C). Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir regularly so the butter doesn't separate from the sugar. It takes about 5 minutes.
- Pour the toffee over the crackers and spread it evenly, then bake for 3 to 5 minutes until it starts to bubble again.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot toffee and put the pan back in the oven for 1 minute, or let it sit for 5 minutes until the chocolate looks soft and glossy.
- Spread the melted chocolate into an even layer with an offset spatula.
- Add your sprinkles or any other toppings while the chocolate is still soft.
- Chill and crack. Freeze the pan for at least 20 minutes or let it sit at room temperature overnight, then lift the slab out of the pan and crack it into pieces.
What is Christmas Crack?
Christmas Crack, which is also referred to as Christmas cracker candy, is a type of candy made up of saltine crackers coated in caramel or toffee and topped with melted chocolate. This tasty treat has many nicknames including Christmas Crack, cracker candy, and even caramel bark.
Christmas Crack has a nice crunch to it, and the ingredients you will need to make it may already be in your pantry!
The perfect bite of salty and sweet, Christmas Crack is a festive holiday treat the whole family can enjoy. It's also a delicious, homemade gift you can prepare in large quantities to wrap and give to your coworkers, friends, and family around the holidays. Did someone say holiday cookie exchange?
Christmas Crack FAQs
Why is my Christmas Crack chewy?
Being a little chewy is normal and makes for a better mouthfeel than super hard, break-your-tooth caramel, but if it's TOO chewy it can be a bit sticky. Make sure you heat your brown sugar mixture to 280º F (138º C) or let it boil for 5 minutes before removing it from the heat.
What can I use instead of saltine crackers?
No saltine crackers? No problem! The best part about Christmas Crack is every family can make it their own. You could use graham crackers, water biscuits, Ritz, Club crackers, or even pretzels.
Can you freeze Christmas crack?
Yes! If you want to freeze your leftover Christmas crack for later, you can store it in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 3 months.
Why did my toffee get grainy?
If you don't cook your sugar at a high enough temperature or if you use a metal spoon to mix, you can shock your sugar and cause it to crystallize. Always use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix sugar.
Why is my toffee too hard?
Don't be tempted to let your toffee boil for too long or you can end up with a very hard candy that will not be easy on the teeth.
More Holiday Candy Recipes To Try
Leave Me A Review
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If you tried this Christmas Crack Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Equipment
- 18"x13" ½ sheet pan
- candy thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
- 1-2 sleeves saltine crackers (about 45) make sure they are salted
- 12 ounces dark brown sugar (packed) (1.5 cup packed)
- 12 ounces unsalted butter (1.5 cup)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces chopped chocolate or chocolate chips (2 cups)
- ½ cup decorative sprinkles or alternative topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF (204ºC) and line your pan with a silicone mat or parchment paper coated with pan spray or cake goop. I used cake goop around the edges of my pan and silicone mat.
- Line the bottom of your pan with crackers in an even layer and set it aside.
Toffee
- Place the brown sugar, butter, and salt into a medium sauce pan on medium-high heat and stir it until the butter is melted.
- Next, cook the caramel. You will want to cook it until the temperature reads 280ºF (138ºC) on your candy thermometer which takes about 5 minutes. Watch the sugar cook and stir regularly to keep the butter from separating from the sugar. While a candy thermometer isn't required, it will help ensure the success of your Christmas cracker recipe.
- Once the toffee reaches the desired temperature, remove it from heat.
- Then, pour the toffee over the crackers and spread it with a spatula to coat the crackers evenly.
- Place the crackers into the oven for 3-5 minutes or until they start to bubble again. Then, remove them from the oven.
Christmas Cracker Assembly
- Spread the chocolate chips evenly over the hot cracker toffee.
- Place them back in the oven for 1 minute to melt the chocolate. Or let it sit on the countertop for 5 minutes until the chocolate melts.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and slowly spread the chocolate chips evenly over the toffee with an offset spatula.
- Add sprinkles over the top or any kind of toppings you want like chopped nuts, toasted coconut flakes, pretzels, or even candy!
- Put the Christmas crackers into the freezer for at least 20 minutes. You can also let them sit overnight at room temperature.
- Since you used a silicone mat and/or goop, the crackers will lift out of the pan easily. You will just lift and crack into them into your desired pieces.
Video
Notes
- Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch, etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe.
- Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
- While it isn't required, a candy thermometer will help you ensure the success of your recipe.
- You will be working with hot sugar, so please make sure you are working safely.
- There are so many ways to personalize this candy, have fun with the toppings and cracker combinations. Have everything ready to go before you start. Once the sugar starts cooking you don't want to walk away. It also cools pretty quickly, so it's best to be prepared to get through every step.
- If you are using salted butter, then you can omit the added salt. If you are using unsalted crackers then use more salt, ½ tsp. You could also use flakey salt on top.
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